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ChatGPT is a generative chatbot, it can be used for many reasons.

In this article published on the American Psychological Association and written by Ashley Abramson. She explains various ways professors such as Nobel Prize winner Daniel M. Oppenheimer have embraced the use AI in their classrooms to encourage critical thinking skills while also being aware of cons it can bring in the classroom setting.

I agree with Dr. Oppenheimer, I think allowing the brainstorming with AI while making sure students keep in mind the faults of AI and critically analyze the responses they have been given is an excellent way to incorporate it safely. However, it is important to keep in mind how often Ai can be used for cheating.

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Rather than weaken student effort, artificial intelligence can help prepare students for the real world by encouraging critical thinking-with a few caveats. Here's advice from psychology instructors about how to use ChatGPT and other AI technology wisely

Cite this

Abramson, A. (2023, June 1). How to use ChatGPT as a learning tool. Monitor on Psychology, 54(3). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/06/chatgpt-learning-tool

As technology advances, psychologists can find new opportunities to innovate in the field and in education. But the introduction of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI)-the simulation of human intelligence by computers-can feel daunting. For psychology instructors in particular, the advent of a rapidly evolving AI software called ChatGPT (and the updated version, GPT-4) has introduced new challenges-but experts say it's also ripe with potential to help students learn in new ways and prepare them for careers after college.

ChatGPT, a chatbot software launched by the AI company OpenAI in November 2022, synthesizes online data and communicates it in a conversational way. Unlike a search engine, ChatGPT can write verse in the style of Shakespeare, dole out dating advice, and-especially concerning to educators-answer test questions and write essays. Early reviews of GPT-4, the next iteration of OpenAI's large language model, indicate increases in the software's capabilities.

A New York Times article from earlier this year highlights instances of cheating with ChatGPT in college courses and instructors redesigning curricula to prevent academic dishonesty. Some schools are blocking the technology altogether: Earlier this year, the New York City Department of Education banned the use of ChatGPT based on concerns that it could hinder student learning ( Huang, K., New York Times, January 16, 2023).

Some educators, however, see ChatGPT as an opportunity rather than a threat. In an LA Times op-ed published in early 2023, psychologist Angela Duckworth, PhD, argues against banning the bot, explaining that it and similar technologies are here to stay-and that instructors should learn how to incorporate it into curricula (Los Angeles Times, January 19, 2023).

Many psychology instructors are already experimenting with the software, recognizing that ChatGPT could be a useful tool to prepare students for the real world where critical thinking is more important than rote memorization.

"We have a choice here to lean in or run away, like we had a choice about whether we wanted to use calculators in statistics class," said Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD, a professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia. "We now know people can learn using calculators, so the question is: How do we increase critical thinking while also embracing what ChatGPT can do?"

Integrating any new tool into the classroom should be done judiciously, and ChatGPT is no exception. Educators must consider ethics, cheating, and equity, just as they would when integrating other technologies into their courses. But with the right approach, ChatGPT can be a useful-and as some psychologists argue, revolutionary-tool to prepare students for their future careers. Here are some insights from psychology instructors about using ChatGPT to help students learn.
[Related: APA Style: How to cite ChatGPT]

Consider course goals

Every psychology course has different learning objectives. When determining whether-and how-to incorporate ChatGPT into your course, think about your specific goals as an instructor. "There are going to be classes for which using GPT would be inappropriate, but in other settings, it could be a useful learning tool," said Daniel Oppenheimer, PhD, a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Ask yourself: What are you trying to teach your students, and what abilities are you hoping to measure? It may help to think of ChatGPT like a calculator. If you were teaching simple addition, then a calculator might hinder learning. But in a calculus course, the same tool could free up cognitive resources to help students perform the more advanced skills they need to learn.

"We can do math better and faster now that we have calculators," said Jaclyn Siegel, PhD, a postdoctoral research scholar and an adjunct psychology faculty professor at San Diego State University. "It's harder to imagine a similar scenario happening in psychology, but maybe we'll be able to think more creatively because we have basic facts at our fingertips."

Similarly, if you're teaching an introductory class, ChatGPT might pose a threat to students learning basic information. Spelling and grammar tools, for example, could get in the way of evaluating whether students can write. But if your goal is to encourage good ideas, "the other tools make essays easier to read and help instructors understand if students understand the material," said Oppenheimer.

In classes that you determine would not benefit from using ChatGPT, using online proctors or programs that restrict access to ChatGPT may sometimes be appropriate.

Encourage critical thinking

ChatGPT offers fast and easy access to information, which you may deem inappropriate in certain learning scenarios. But finding ways to incorporate AI tools in your course could actually help prepare students for the real world, where they'll need to apply concepts rather than simply recall facts. "We want to train students how to think like a psychologist rather than how to know what a psychologist knows," Oppenheimer said.

The bot may be best used to help students think critically about topics they're already familiar with, said Gary Lupyan, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Like talking with a colleague, it can be an interactive partner that's useful in areas you know a lot about already, so you can critically evaluate the suggestion without blindly copying it," he said.

For example, Oppenheimer teaches a course on human intelligence and stupidity, in which he encourages students to compare GPT-generated text with human-generated text. Hirsh-Pasek actually requires her honors psychology students to use ChatGPT, asking them to use ChatGPT for a first draft and edit a second draft with critiques, corrections, and additions. "A really good essay is not just a synthesis of information, but also the ability to support a thesis," she said. "ChatGPT teaches students to ask better questions and then defend those questions, which could help them become real scientists."

ChatGPT can also be used to incite classroom or lab discussion, said James W. Pennebaker, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. For example, you could ask the bot why one theory is better than another. Then, ask again why the second theory is better. "Students can learn to appreciate other arguments and see both sides objectively before establishing an opinion," he said.

Using ChatGPT in your course not only encourages critical thinking about class concepts, but it also encourages your students to be technologically literate in an increasingly tech-centric world. "We should be thinking about the world we're preparing our students to enter and what habits of thinking we want to instill in them so they can successfully represent the discipline of psychology," said Oppenheimer. "That means figuring out how to incorporate novel technology they will be using in the real world into classroom exercises."

Be aware of the cons

All technology sparks concern about academic dishonesty. If your students have access to computers during an exam, then they theoretically have access to ChatGPT. Be aware ChatGPT can easily answer test questions because of how it synthesizes information. Steering clear of multiple-choice exams can help resolve that concern, but open-ended assessments may be harder to grade, especially with large classes.

Lupyan cautions against overhauling your test questions to trick the system. If you try to design exams with questions ChatGPT can't answer, you may miss questions your students need to be learning. "Questions that require synthesis and contrast are the type you want to be asking students and the type these models are excelling at," he said.

It may be more worthwhile to implement practices shown to reduce all kinds of cheating, said Oppenheimer. Be clear about your expectations for the class and motivate students to be engaged with the material. Breaking assignments and papers into chunks that come together over time can make it more difficult to plagiarize, especially if you regularly provide feedback that students need to incorporate into their work. Just as important, offer support to students who may be struggling with the material.

Take time at the beginning of the semester to explain why academic integrity is so important in your class and beyond. "Tell them that while cheating may temporarily make things easier, it has a short time horizon, because they aren't actually learning skills they need in their careers," Oppenheimer said.

Communicate expectations

As ChatGPT and other AI technologies advance, universities will develop official conduct codes about their use. Until then, it's up to you to implement and communicate expectations about how students can and can't use these tools in your class. In your syllabus, offer specific scenarios in which it's acceptable to use them and when it's not, and be sure your teaching assistants are on the same page.

If you're OK with students using ChatGPT in certain scenarios, Siegel emphasizes the importance of equity. She teaches a large online course for which she can't prevent students from using notes or searching online for answers. As a result, she conducts open-book exams and allows students to use the internet or textbook to answer questions. (She emphasizes forcing students to put their cameras on during tests is inequitable if students don't have sufficient internet bandwidth.)

To prevent savvier students from getting better grades, she introduces the whole class to ChatGPT to ensure that they know how to use it. "Curves are based on averages, so everyone should have knowledge and access to the same tools and materials," she said.

Try it out

Before determining how ChatGPT could help or hinder your students' learning, spend time with it yourself. Test it out and see what it can (and can't) do. If you're not ready to bring the technology to your course, use it for planning or administrative purposes. Lupyan, for example, recently asked ChatGPT to suggest titles for a grant he wrote, and Siegel used it to generate active lessons for teaching about methods in sexology research for her human sexual behavior course.

Whether you run a lab or teach a course, encourage your students to try it out for fun, too. Pennebaker's students, for example, have used ChatGPT to write haikus about psychological theories or rap battles between two well-known scholars. "With education, the more people can get their hands dirty and play with ideas, the better they learn," he said.

Be patient as the technology continues to evolve. As of early 2023, ChatGPT has been intermittently inaccessible due to the overwhelming number of users. Consider signing up for auto-notifications so you know when it's available.

Navigating new technologies like ChatGPT can be time-consuming and even overwhelming, but taking steps to understand them could empower both you and your class. "I get scared of new things, too, but they offer us a chance to grow," said Hirsh-Pasek. "I challenge all of us to be the learners we want our students to be."

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Artificial intelligence can help prepare students for the real world by encouraging critical thinking-with a few caveats.

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This Forbes article by Olufemi Shonubi highlights pros and cons of AI in classrooms clearly.

If any teacher was going back and forth about AI use in their classrooms this article may be something to read to help decide. Sometimes Cons can outweigh Pros or Vise Versa.

It gave me great insight into various ways to use AI in the classroom such as using AI for repetitive tasks like grading quizzes.

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Council Post: AI In The Classroom: Pros, Cons And The Role Of EdTech Companies

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Let us explore the pros and cons of AI as a tool in the classroom, address the concern that AI could be a threat to teachers’ and instructors’ jobs, and discuss the role of edtech companies in advancing this AI use case.

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Something I learned recently that has stayed in my mind since was the tool of closed captioning during google slide presentations. This website goes through the steps of setting up your Closed Captions as well as listing some advice.

They also have linked YouTube Videos if that is more helpful than written instruction.

Closed Captioning is something I use very often having deaf and HOH family members, so having that resource there that can help HOH or Deaf students keep up with their learning as well is always something I will keep in mind and would use in the future.

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Google Slides – Closed Captions as you Present.

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Nearpod is also something I kept thinking about since I learned about it. This informative website lists five reasons why using Nearpod in the classroom is so beneficial.

Even just in its cover photo you can see its various uses, my favorite was the built in teacher tools to make quizzes or fun quiz games but Nearpod can do so much more giving the teacher complete control and allowing use on ANY device. Nearpod would be something to keep in mind for fun presentations.

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Guest blog post by Jen Kimbrell

My job as an instructional technology facilitator provides me the opportunity to assist teachers in infusing technology into the curriculum. I am fortunate enough to work with over twenty classrooms that are 1:1. Having a device for every student has been such a blessing to my teachers and students. I have seen such a tremendous change in the way teachers are interacting with students in the classroom. Many of my teachers are becoming facilitators. They are guiding students to create, think critically, and collaborate.

However, this does not happen overnight. Receiving a classroom set of iPads can be overwhelming. I always advise my teachers to start small. Choose a core set of apps and stick with them until students are more comfortable with the routines and procedures of the devices.

One of my favorite apps to get started is called Nearpod. Nearpod is an application tool that takes your presentations to a whole new level. Teachers can take already existing PowerPoints or PDFs and upload them to the Nearpod site to create enriched multimedia presentations with interactive features. Some of the features include adding quizzes, drawing tools, and video to the lesson. Teachers can then share the content with the students and control the activity with the Nearpod app. Students have the capability to receive the content from the teacher on their device for a great interactive lesson. There are many reasons to love this application but here are my top five reasons why Nearpod is a great way to start the journey of using devices in the classroom

1. Nearpod works on ANY device, whether students have iPads, computers, or other tablets. This is great especially for schools that allow students to bring their own devices.

2. The teacher has complete control of student devices. Yes, I said complete control. Before the lesson, the teacher provides a code for students to join the session. Once joined, the students submit their names which allows the teacher to see on the teacher iPad the names of the students that have joined. When all students have joined, the teacher can share the first slide of the presentation and begin the lesson. Students are only allowed to see the slide the teacher shares which ensures students are on task. If students try to go to the next slide the application will not allow them to do so. The students can exit the application but the teacher is notified when this occurs. This is a nice feature when just starting a 1:1 classroom or working with students in small groups, especially as it relates to classroom management.

3. Students can annotate slides to explain their thinking about a particular topic. For example, if teaching a math concept, students can show how to solve the problem by drawing it out using the pen tool feature. When the student uses the drawing tool, the student has the ability to submit their work. The teacher then has the capability of choosing a student response to share with the other students. This response can be seen on all student devices. Students can also take a quiz or poll directly on the device. Best of all, the information is saved to the Nearpod website for teacher analysis! The students' annotated slides are also saved.

4. Only have a few devices? No problem, use them in small groups. I've seen the app used for guided reading groups, researching a science project, or collaborating on a math problem. The sky is the limit! There is also a premium version that costs around $120.00 annually that will allow students to use a homework code to work at their own pace without teacher control. This code can be used at home as well so students can review the lesson again and again. Other premium features include adding websites, audio, and longer video recordings.

5. The last reason why I love Nearpod is the plethora of already-made teacher resources created just for Nearpod. These resources can be found in the Nearpod store on the app or go to http://content.nearpod.com. There are lots of great free and paid lessons for all grade levels.

If you are interested in learning more about Nearpod and how to create your own, please check out a blog post I wrote about the subject. Have you used Nearpod in the classroom? I would love to hear what you think about this incredible app!

Jen is the K-5 instructional technology facilitator for the North Little Rock School District in Arkansas. Prior to this position, she was a K-5 literacy coach and a first grade classroom teacher. She is has a master's degree in Early Childhood Education and is National Board Certified. Jennifer is the creator of the Tech with Jen blog where she enjoys sharing strategies for using technology in the classroom.

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5 Reasons to Use Nearpod in the Classroom

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Nearpod is an application tool that takes your presentations to a whole new level. Teachers can take already existing PowerPoints or PDFs and upload them to the Nearpod site to create enriched multimedia presentations with interactive features. Some of the features include adding quizzes, drawing tools, and video to the lesson.

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AR is not something I thought about when thinking of classroom technologies, but after reading about it and trying it out myself, I can see why it can be so valuable to teachers.

When I explored AR I used it to bring children's books to life the characters with help of the camera would pop off the screen and speak to the reader, this was incredibly immersive and would be so much fun with young readers, if I taught young classes this would be a top pick.

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What do teachers do to get books into the hands of their students?

We ALL have or had students who struggle to find a passion for reading. Teachers will do anything to get an appropriate book into the hands of their students. We give students a reading interest inventory to find out their likes and dislikes. We go to the school library and pull a collection of books to bring back to our classroom. We even head to our local libraries to bring in books from outside of the school building with the hope that our students get excited about at least one of the titles.

Why do some students detest reading?

Many reasons contribute to this question but more often than not it is because they struggle. They struggle with decoding which obviously affects comprehension. Some students can decode but have difficulty making meaning out of the text they read.

On the other side of the spectrum, you have students who are really good readers but still don't enjoy getting down with a good book. Often times these students are used to being stimulated by video games and tech based activities. What can we do about this without replacing reading with completely digital content?

Why should I make augmented reality a part of my classroom library?

Having a few books that contain an element of augmented reality (the ability to product a unique interactive experience) to supplement the text is a great way to target struggling readers as well as those who simply don't enjoy reading for few reasons:

Seeing images, figures and diagrams come to life can help assist comprehension

Increases background knowledge

Increases curiosity

Increases excitement for learning new things

It is ENGAGING!

With that being said, I DO think it is important for children to learn how to build their reading stamina with books alone--no technology involved.

Here is an example of one of the books I mention below (same one displayed in the picture above):

Children's Books with Augmented Reality

A few years ago I was walking through the library at one of my schools and noticed the Guinness Book of World Records book that was on display. These books were MY all time favorite to read as a child. As I approached the book I noticed the 3D advertisement sticker on the front. I was THRILLED. I immediately opened my iPad, downloaded the app and called the librarian over. We spent a solid half hour flipping through the pages ooohing and ahhhing as the text literally came to life right in front of our eyes! So first up on my list are the Guinness Book of World Records Books. All books posted below are Amazon affiliate links.

It seems as though the 2016 & 2017 editions do not contain the AR component😓
Let me know if you are able to find it!

This book is appropriate for beginning readers. The main character, Ernie, wishes to be someone else throughout the book. Eventually he finds the joys of being himself. (This book reminds me a lot of Edward the Emu) Ernie's Wish attempts to makes concepts come alive like counting (pine cones drop from the tree one at a time and the voiceover asks how many they counted), colors (flowers change colors when they are touched), animation (Ernie flies off the page using a jetpack when he wished he could defy gravity), etc.

This is another book for beginning readers. It is about a little boy who refuses to go to bed because he would rather play. His parents decide to take him on a trip around the world with the hopes that he will eventually tire out. Each page is animated and the text is read aloud to the child! You can demo three of the pages for FREE by clicking HERE.

This is another great AR book for small children! This book brings the alphabet to life through print, audio and video. It reminds me a lot of the app, AR Flashcards, that Anita Goodwin blogged about HERE.

This book is ideal for any child who loves fairies (I know several girls who would be obsessed with this book😍). This one is a little different since it uses a computer's webcam instead of an app along with software that comes as a CD (no internet required). Each page spread contains three different animations.

This is a story of a knight and his friends who discover an ancient treasure map. Together the friends embark on a journey to find the most valuable treasure in the world.

This popular film is now available in a children's book and contains several 3D animations! Students will have a blast seeing their favorite characters pop out of the pages.

This is another popular film that has turned into a 3D experience! This book tells about all of the characters from both Monsters Inc. movies. It isn't a story but text appears that tells all about the furry friends.

Explore the wildlife and their habitats with this beautiful book! Learning truly comes alive with this nonfiction text. It also comes with a full set of interactive cards.

Students will have fun learning all about the basic functions of blood cells that will open their eyes to the microscopic world.

Students will take a journey through the solar system as they learn about the history of Moon exploration as well as many other exciting facts.

This book is the PERFECT text to use when teaching severe weather. Students will experience the severity of different kinds of storms and will feel like they are right in the action.

This book will make students feel like they are walking with dinosaurs! I used this one a few weeks ago during a tutoring session and the little boy I was tutoring was absolutely amazed. I hate that I didn't get any pictures of it in action😓

This book captures all of the wonders of science. Learn about atoms, elements, sound waves, gravity and so much more!

This book would be great for any geology unit as it explores issues of our planet and its origin.

Where was this book when I taught Ancient Egypt in 2nd grade? Students will enjoy 3D images, music and games as they explore the world of Egypt 5,000 years ago.

These books are great for students in grades 1st-3rd and teach them how to create origami greeting cards, ornaments, decorations and more. They can use a smartphone or tablet to scan specific pages to watch videos for each project.

I could keep going! Would any of these titles interest YOUR students?

Check out these three Google Drive products that would be great to implement with ANY of these books:

If you enjoyed this post then you might be interested in checking out my Top 10 List of Technology Themed Read Aloud Books ☺

Follow me on Pinterest to get more techie ideas:

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Augmented Reality Children's Books That Will Engage Students

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Augmented Reality Children's Books that will engage students. Grab a phone, iPad, or tablet and spice up your library with these titles that would be great for the elementary classroom!

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With AR is VR, Virtual Reality where instead of the Augmented Reality being in YOUR space, YOU are brought into the digital world.

As someone who wants to focus on older classrooms I bring this up because this was a study done with a college class. In this class they used VR to give students an interactive lesson with a 3D brain models, experiencing things on a microscopic level with the use of VR. They learned the use of VR with the hands on activities spiked students willingness to learn and motivation.

I can only imagine how useful VR could be in a historical setting, maybe being able to visit historical sites without ever leaving the classroom, it wouldn't exactly be the same but very convenient.

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Faculty and staff at Southern New Hampshire University piloted virtual reality in an undergraduate psychology course to see if it can be an effective pedagogical tool.

Credit: Thares Luangruangrong / Shutterstock.com © 2021

In early 2020, just before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) faculty, staff, and students caught a glimpse of the classroom of the future. To better understand the feasibility of using virtual reality (VR) as an educational tool, a campus multipurpose room was transformed into something from another time. Posters taped to the doors announced to passersby that "immersive learning" was in progress. Blue painter's tape marked off ten six-foot by six-foot squares for VR stations. Staff members wearing Oculus Quest headsets drew invisible boundary markers with hand controllers to create play zones while undergraduate psychology students trickled in for class, wondering what that day's session had in store for them after weeks of anticipation.

During their first day of using VR in the classroom, students likely did not know about the weeks of exciting, interdisciplinary collaboration between teams of educators, IT specialists, programmers, and developers that went on to make these new virtual experiences possible. This shared effort between educators and people in industry to use VR technology to fulfill university course outcomes was, to our knowledge, relatively new to higher education. Nicholas Burbules defines VR as "a computer-mediated simulation that is three-dimensional, multisensory, and interactive, so that the user's experience is 'as if' inhabiting and acting within an external environment."

This feasibility study was part of a larger initiative in which a total of three VR experiences were created for an SNHU biopsychology course. This initiative was a collaboration between psychology faculty member Peter Frost and members of SNHU Labs, the university's research and development unit. The three VR experiences, collectively referred to as Synapse VR, were created by our team in conjunction with a global production studio called Unit9 (see figure 1).

Figure 1. The Synapse VR Experience. Photograph courtesy of SNHU.

Meeting the Learning Needs of Gen Z and Beyond

While this study was conducted with current SNHU undergraduates, our team aimed to understand the implications of immersive learning for both today's students and future learners.

Today's traditional college-age learners between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two are members of Generation Z, also known as Gen Z. The oldest members of Gen Z entered college in 2015. As Gen Z students mature, so will their expectations for learning experiences that give them the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are essential to thrive in the future labor market. Having grown up with many of the same expectations for their learning experiences as Gen Z, students from Generation Alpha (the generational cohort that succeeds Gen Z) are entering their college years now.

Extended reality (XR), immersive technologies encompassing VR as well as augmented reality, holds promise as a learning tool to meet Gen Z and beyond on their own terms. Within XR, SNHU has focused on VR as a vehicle for delivering high-quality instructional experiences. Given Gen Z's documented love for gaming and their desire for higher education to equip them with problem-solving and practical skills, VR provides a confluence of experiential learning and engagement.

Current market demand for immersive learning in K-12 can shed light on the expectations of future learners for colleges and universities. It is important to note that while only 5 percent of K-12 teachers around the world surveyed in 2016 by Project Tomorrow use augmented reality (AR) or VR tools, Futuresource Consulting predicted in 2018 that 15 percent of US schools would have a VR class kit by 2021. Higher education must look at VR through the lens of learning science to realize its potential as a teaching and learning tool.

By 2030, we predict that learners will expect high-quality XR experiences. To meet the expectations of future learners, SNHU will continue to explore ways to integrate this technology into existing and future courses in ways that positively impact learners.

Implementing VR in the College Classroom

Between spring 2019 and winter 2020, our team designed and developed the VR app and then implemented it in the classroom. During the design and development phase, stakeholders carefully reviewed the existing biopsychology curriculum to identify opportunities where VR could best serve the needs of learners. Eventually, the collaborators created three separate educational VR experiences, each focusing on a different aspect of how information spreads within and between neurons and how these processes influence human behavior. With each iteration of the VR experience, from prototype to VR app, SNHU Labs conducted user testing to understand the needs of learners.

In February 2020, our team implemented two Synapse VR experiences with undergraduate students. The first experience focused on neural transmission, and the second focused on neural conduction. Our team implemented the experiences with the end goal in mind, poring over the existing syllabus to identify opportunities to support course objectives with student engagement in VR. Our team determined that focusing on areas where highly abstract concepts, such as subcellular processes, that are hard for students to imagine and tend to take extra time in class for discussion would be best.

The resulting experiences allowed learners to engage with the anatomical structures as well as the steps of two related biopsychological processes: neural transmission and conduction. As described in the following two sections, students were challenged to solve problems and take a systems approach to facilitate the neural transmission and conduction processes. By design, these experiences required students to take an active role rather than a passive one, incorporating moments of productive struggle that make learning stick.

The two VR experiences were intended to help students achieve the following two course outcomes:

1. Understand the interplay between neural communication, neural circuits, and psychological activity and behavior

2. Apply biopsychology to other areas of psychology (e.g., mental health, addiction, and development) and disciplines outside of psychology (e.g., economics, law, computer science, artificial intelligence, and education)

Neural Transmission (the Chemical Communication Between Neurons)

Students started the first Synapse VR experience by interacting with a 3D brain model before journeying to more microscopic levels within the brain where they could see and interact with the neurochemicals and neural structures involved in communication between neurons. As they progressed through the experience, students could view representations of neural structures and control the various parts of the neuron to see what those parts do. They were then tasked with locating certain structures and regulating their functions to solve problems with neural signaling. Students could walk around the structures to see them from various angles. They also used a virtual tablet that allowed them to identify the neural structures they encountered. The structures, though microscopic, could be scaled up by students to a relatively large, more viewable size (see figures 2 and 3).

Figure 2. Development of Images, from Early Conceptions to Three-Dimensional VR Images. Image at left courtesy of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (licensed under a Creative Commons BY 2.0 International License). The center image is a sketch completed by one of our Unit9 collaborators during development, and the image on the right is from Synapse VR (both images courtesy of SNHU).

Figure 3. Synapse VR Neural Transmission

Neural Conduction (the Spread of an Electrical Signal Within a Neuron)

The second Synapse VR experience gave students a chance to tinker with the steps necessary for a neuron to fire an electrical charge. Neural conduction can be a difficult concept to teach traditionally, but with VR, students can see a neuron at a much larger scale-almost the size of a house-and view all the processes that occur with ions and gates at a pace they control. Students were able to set the pace of neural firing with a ring that wraps around the axon of a neuron. They were tasked with adding critical components to the neuron that help with various stages of neural firing. If they were able to move the signal along the neuron, the neuron sent a signal to numerous other neurons, causing the skybox display to show these firings occurring all around the student (see figure 4).

Figure 4. Synapse VR Neural Conduction

Designing for the Classroom of the Future

We designed Synapse VR with the classroom of the future in mind. In order to truly understand the realities of implementing immersive learning experiences in a face-to-face classroom, designing the implementation of the two VR experiences with as much care as the creation of the app itself was essential.

Students were oriented to VR technology by completing the First Steps tutorial that comes with the Oculus Quest. First Steps is a user-friendly and entertaining tutorial that shows users how to use the technology and various functions of the VR user controllers. This tutorial was necessary for many of our students as we found most of them had not experienced VR previously.

During the feasibility study, each VR experience was the focus of a single class session with nearly twenty students in attendance. Our team incorporated VR with course content in two different ways to explore the use of the technology as a tool to spark students' interest before concepts were introduced and as a tool to explore in more depth concepts that had already been introduced. The first experience followed the lecture on neural transmission. The second experience preceded the lecture on neural conduction.

To help students learn to use the technology, they worked in pairs with one Oculus Quest headset per pair. Students took turns playing the role of "explorer" and "guide" in the VR space. Each pair was provided with a guidebook to prompt each phase of the simulation. The guide used the guidebook to instruct the explorer. Both students attempted to answer questions along the way to keep them focused on the essential aspects of each stage of the VR experience. The guidebook was available to help the explorer and guide troubleshoot when necessary.

Evaluating Students' Responses to VR

The primary objective of the feasibility study was to answer the question: When carefully designed and implemented, does the use of AR/VR reliably improve student enthusiasm for course content? As we think ahead to wider adoption of VR, understanding how real students respond to VR as an educational tool is important.

While the education sector has seen greater use of technologies like VR, relatively few studies have explored how it has affected learning and motivation. Some studies have shown that although retention is not different between traditional learning and virtual reality, VR groups tend to transfer learning on problem-solving tests to a greater extent (that is, skills tend to transfer to new situations).

Our preliminary research shows that immersive VR learning experiences can spark student interest, motivation, and engagement. After participating in each VR experience, students responded to a survey containing questions about their reactions to the use of VR in the classroom using a measure of interest, motivation, and engagement from a recent study of immersive learning by Jocelyn Parong and Richard Mayer. Between the two classes, a total of thirty-two student survey responses were received. Eighty-one percent of the student responses agreed with statements about feeling motivated to understand the material treated in VR, being interested in learning more about neural communication, and finding the lessons engaging overall (see figure 5).

Figure 5. Motivation, Interest, and Engagement

Students expressed enthusiasm for learning with VR, with 87 percent of all responses indicating that the VR lesson was useful, enjoyable, and something students would like to learn with in the future (see figure 6).

Figure 6. Learning with VR

These preliminary reactions from students are encouraging and suggest that immersive learning experiences may be able to support motivation, interest, and engagement in learning.

Lessons Learned

Our glimpse into the classroom of the future generated three insights that will guide future exploration of VR for SNHU and may be of interest to other college and university educators seeking to bring immersive learning experiences to their students:

1. Investigate collaborative learning models for VR. Not all classrooms will have a full class set of VR headsets. This is an important consideration for the classroom dynamic when immersive learning is implemented. One approach to collaborative learning may be to pair students as "guides" and "explorers" as we did in our feasibility study; however, students who began as guides ended up spending more time outside of VR than those who began as explorers. One student noted the disparity in engagement with those who spent time outside of VR, reflecting, "The person not inside the VR has a very boring job. They can't really keep up with what the person in VR is experiencing, and the booklet is too simple." Further experimentation is needed to understand how to maximize learning with VR when students need to take turns using the equipment.

2. Retool the VR orientation processes. How students are trained on the technology impacts the overall learner experience. Most students were relatively inexperienced with VR and took longer to get acquainted with the technology. We believe it is essential to provide students with access to more dedicated training on the technology and time to get comfortable using VR by playing games to learn the mechanics. Combining VR orientation during class time took time away from the main VR experience. We recommend requiring a brief VR studio session prior to the start of the term in which students can sign up for time slots to get trained on the technology and play a game or two before using VR as an educational tool.

3. Invite input from learners early and often. College and university educators who are seeking to incorporate VR experiences in their classrooms can benefit from the gaming expertise of their Gen Z students. These learners are savvy consumers of gaming experiences and eager to offer feedback. In their survey responses, many students thoughtfully noted opportunities to improve VR mechanics and streamline logistics. As more immersive learning experiences are developed, it is vital to involve students in the design and invite them to provide feedback on iterative prototypes and co-design when possible.

Overall, this project expanded collaboration across disciplines at SNHU, challenged our team to ground the experiences in learning outcomes, encouraged thinking about teaching and content delivery in new ways, and built up a new toolset based on our emerging understanding of the possibilities in VR. We answered our original research question and generated some new ones. We are eager to continue learning about the potential of VR to help our university prepare for the future of learning.

Notes

1. SNHU and Generation Z, unpublished research report, (Stockholm, Sweden, and Manchester, NH: Kairos Future and Southern New Hampshire University, 2019).

2. Games and Learning: Immersive Learning Market Overview and Sector Analysis, unpublished research report, (Manchester, NH: Southern New Hampshire University, 2019); "Augmented and Virtual Reality in K-12 Education: Current Status and Aspirations," infographic, Project Tomorrow, Speak Up 2016; Michele Molnar, "Virtual Reality 'Class Kits' Expected to Gain Foothold in U.S. Schools," EdWeek Market Brief, January 26, 2018.

Cat Flynn is a Director of Learning Science at Southern New Hampshire University.

Peter Frost is a Professor of Psychology at Southern New Hampshire University.

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Faculty and staff at Southern New Hampshire University piloted virtual reality in an undergraduate psychology course to see if it can be an effective pedagogical tool. In early 2020, just before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) faculty, staff, and students caught a glimpse of the classroom of the future.

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This website had a VAST amount of ways to use Word Cloud's in class, I really enjoyed how student oriented a lot of them were, asking students how they feel, what they learned, and hope to learn.

It can be used in another set of ways with anonymous polling in class.

One of the ways I could use this in future classes would be making learning objectives into a word cloud to make it more visually pleasing.

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200 Ways to Use Word Clouds in the Classroom

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Word clouds also provide aneasyway for teachers who are just getting started using web technology in the classroom.

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This website gave some insight into how students can use word clouds themselves in different classroom settings, of course the one that stood out to me the most was the social studies one. Instead of students memorizing speeches or when you are introducing speeches you can make a word cloud of the most important parts of the speech to remember visually.

This is something I would definitely use in future classes.

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What is a Word Cloud? are created based on the frequency of words in a text. In order to create a word cloud, a template can be created using free website . Teachers can select a passage from a text students have read and copy and paste it into the text box on the site. The background color, layout, and font can be edited. Word clouds enable students to see key words, create headings, and provide prompts for discussion ( Echevarria , Vogt, Short, 2014). The more the word is used in the text, the larger it appears in the word cloud. Students integrate both visual and verbal information while integrating the use of technology as they create their own designs. provides support in a variety of different languages, which is especially helpful for students who are English Language Learners. Word clouds or can include key vocabulary words from a unit or theme and can be displayed in the classroom. Word clouds can also be used in introducing new stories or for making predictions. to make predictions is especially useful for students who are because it allows students to create their own predictions about particular content or discuss unknown words prior to reading.

Visual Representations

This image is an example of a word cloud for Little Red Riding Hood. This could be used to get s tudents excited about a new story or for making predictions about a text they are about to read. After students read a text, the assessment given could be to create a Wordle based on the main idea and details or theme.

Content Area Examples

Word clouds can be integrated in vocabulary, comprehension and writing. tudents can create a that includes new or unknown words to improve vocabulary, or look at the largest words in the word cloud to better understand the main idea and smaller words to analyze the details. This would improve overall comprehension, which is especially important for students who are . Those who are ELL would also benefit from using word clouds to make predicti ons. When it comes to writing, can be used as a self-assessment tool. Students can plug their writing into a word cloud site and see whether their intended main ideas came across as important, or incorporate new words for those that are often repeated throughout their writing.

A way to adapt the use of word clouds lesson vocabulary. Before starting a new math lesson, a word cloud can be displayed as students identify and discuss both familiar and unfamiliar words related to a particular concept. This activates prior knowledge and also serves as a formative assessment, because it gives insight as to what students already know and still need to learn. Students who are benefit from discussing targeted vocabulary as well as background knowledge, because it builds confidence. Students can also create their own word cloud during math as a review for previously taught content. After a math lesson, students can create a as a class by brainstorming words that describe what was learned.

strategy could easi ly be adapted in social studies when introducing new content or discussing famous speeches I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr . Rather than reading the entire speech, students can see a visual of the main ideas presented. Students who are can better comprehend the main ideas of speeches by focusing on key words and phrases that are easier to read. could be made using the U.S. Constitution, the thirteen original colonies, U.S. presidents, and more.

Science- Word clouds could be adapted for use in scien ce when introducing new content such as planets, the sun, stars, properties of matter, and more. Similar to other content areas, an be used to activate students' prior knowledge about particular science content or to review previously covered material. Students can work together to brainstorm and put together their own word cloud to illustrate what they already know or what they learned.

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What is a Word Cloud? Word c louds are created based on the frequency of words in a text. In order to create a word cloud, a template can be created using Wordle (Jonathan Feinburg ; www.wordle.net )...

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This website had many ways you can implement the use of QR codes in the classroom, some I agreed with and some I did not but I could see myself using QR codes with a class.

One of my favorites listed here was organizing classroom games with QR codes like a scavenger hunt, I actually did a QR code scavenger hunt on my Big E Welcome to EKU with my group so I know they can be fun.

My least favorite one that I don't think I could implement would be the Self-Attendance. I don't know how you could get around someone sending it to an absent friend or students accidentally forgetting and getting marked absent. I suppose it could teach a form of responsibility, I would have to think on it.

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26 Creative Ways Teachers Can Use QR Codes in Their Classrooms

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Gone are the days when teachers scribbled different blackboard elements to explain complex concepts. Today, teachers and students are much more advanced and empowered regarding the use of technology.

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This website brought up some different ideas for QR codes.

One of my favorites I could see myself using would be the "Learning Stations" each station has a different QR code with a different learning objective or lesson such as a video or worksheet or discussion question. I was drawn to this because of its versatility, Learning Stations could be used in almost ANY classroom and subject.

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Creative tips for the interactive classroom

Photo credit: The Daring Librarian via flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

As mobile learning becomes more and more prevalent, we must find effective ways to leverage mobile tools in the classroom.

As always, the tool must fit the need. Mobile learning can create both the tool and the need. With safe and specific structures, mobile learning tools can harness the excitement of technology with the purpose of effective instruction. Using QR codes for instruction is one example of this.

A Quick Tutorial

QR stands for Quick Response. It's basically a quick, scannable barcode-like image that takes you to a specific digital destination. The one to the right, for example, will take you to a QR code generator. There you will be able to create all sorts of QR codes. (Feel free to search the web for them.) Before that, however, you will need an app that reads the QR codes. There are plenty of free QR code apps to download for Android and Apple Products. Just search. To read them, all you need is a phone with a camera. Free makes teachers happy, and of course makes the implementation of these practices easier. QR codes can send you to a link, mobile number, email, SMS, bookmark, link and more. Mary Beth Hertz did a great introductory blog on QR codes and mentioned ideas like scavenger hunts and advertising for the classroom. Below are some more ideas to give you a starting point for using QR codes.

1. Create 21st Century Resumes

Have students use QR to create resumes that link to other content such as their professional website or portfolio. All schools do some level of resume building and technical writing. Help them bring it into the 21st century by creating a resume that requires interaction. Not only will this help engage them in technical writing, but also their work will be innovative.

2. Show Exemplars

You can create QR for linking students to examples of quality work, whether it's PowerPoint or slideshare for a class presentation, or people speaking a foreign language specific to your current lesson.

3. Provide a Service

Integrate QR with a PBL or Service Learning project where students can create the codes that will link to the content they create. If students helped create awareness around spreading germs, for example, they might put the codes around the school or in a parent newsletter. They can take it a step further by creating codes for a local business or organization.

4. Make Your Classroom Greener

Save a few trees! Instead of making more printouts than everyone needs, give your students a QR that takes them to the instructions, announcement or assignment. It can save you space on your wall, and keep your classroom greener.

5. Incentivize and Praise

Award prizes by having students scan a code leading to an animation or badge. When they pass a test on commas, perhaps they get a code that takes them to a badge for Comma Guru! Students can even create their own codes to award each other. When a student sees something great happen, they can give a code that links to messages such as "Good Job from Andrew" and "Thanks for doing your part for the team."

6. Make Learning Stations

Put codes in different areas of the room that will take students to different online activities, videos or content. Using a great tool like the discussion protocol of reciprocal teaching (PDF) or a graphic organizer will help facilitate their interaction with the linked content.

7. Check Answers and Reflect

Have students check their answers by scanning the QR code after completing a test or assignment. As a teacher, you can visually confirm when students are checking their work and can also check in to see how they are doing. This will help track individual learning and can provide an opportunity for you to facilitate student reflection.

8. Provide Extension Assignments

A great way to provide optional activities for students who want to excel is to simply put the code on the class assignment and let them follow it to the extension activity or question. It won't take up much space, and might facilitate a little excitement about the extension assignment.

9. Compile Research

Have students create codes linking to items discovered during research. These could be posted in class wikis on a specific topic, or on a wall in the classroom. It helps give them ownership of the research process and literally creates "walls that talk."

10. Create Interactive Labs or Dissections

Codes attached to a skeleton model or dissected pig can take students to important directions or content. Or vice versa. Maybe this will help them to create the lab themselves or make a model for the class lab.

11. Differentiate Instruction

Perhaps you have a poem for students to analyze. You can provide additional scaffolding with a link to a recitation or focused questions to get them started. Use the QR to help you manage differentiation of the various strategies in your tool belt of teacher practices.

12. Vote

QR codes can be a great voting tool allowing students to vote by simply scanning the code as they enter or exit the classroom. This can save time, and it gets your students up and moving.

QR codes are a great arsenal for the teacher tool belt. Just remember, this technology is a tool and needs to fit a purpose. It can help create engagement in a lesson, manage your classroom, be part of student work or facilitate inquiry in a project. Please comment below and give us some or you best examples of how you use QR codes in the classroom. I like to say, "The wisdom is in the room." You are all rockstar teachers, so I would love to hear your ideas.

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Blogger and PBL specialist Andrew Miller offers an array of creative suggestions for using Quick Response codes in the classroom.